Inserting Rafix

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Anyone know what my options are for inserting Rafix fittings. We drill the holes on our CNC, then ship the parts to the jobsite where the installers knock the fittings into the holes with a mallet. Looking to refine this, if possible.

I often still use the mallet on our fittings. However, at one point I was concerned as they would often spin when they were struck with the mallet, so I made a simple press using a 3/4" x 2" board that was about 16" in length. The 16" board was attached to a thicker board with a hinge. The thicker board was used to raise the 16" piece to where it was over my work piece, and could be used to press down the rafix fitting. By screwing the thick board to my table top, I could slide my shelf needing the fitting against it as a stop, and then place the fitting, swing the board over and press. It doesn't take much pressure with a board of some length providing some leverage. A very basic set up, but it worked surprisingly well. Small and easily moved to a jobsite too. Sorry I don't have a picture, but it can be easily figured out to suit your purpose.

Bernie, come to think of it, I remember if I did use this type of jig again, instead of a narrow board pressing a single fitting, I saw where it would be just as easy to use a shelf or a wide board as the press, and then for our shelves requiring two fittings on each end, I could be pressing two at a time. Small time saver, but worth it when inserting a hundred or so fittings at a time.

Thanks very much for the description. I put together a prototype this morning, and with some revisions, including adding hinges, it looks like it will do it.

I was only able to test it on left over/scrap parts, but it was pushing the Rafix in. It didn't seem to want to do 2, but would push them in most of the way, then I'd offset the panel in the jig, so that just one was under the 'lever' and push one in the rest of the way, offset the panel the other way, and push the other one in. Couple of steps, but went fairly quickly.

It depends on how many fittings you are using each month. If you're up around the 3500 and above range you might want to look into an inserting machine. This dedicated machine is much faster drilling and inserting with no alignment problems from hand inserting and it frees up your CNC for other operations.

We use thousands of these a month. We run nested base so the wholes are drilled at the cnc. Rafix are inserted at end of edgbander with a small head mallet, 1 tap to start second to seat it in the whole. On some we use the type with out rigger so it is always straight others are the single hole model. If they are slightly off they can be twisted in the hole with a flat blade screwdriver.
With a little practice you shouldn't have any problems

The toggle clamp has the most leverage near the end of the stroke, getting the rafix started took a bit of effort.

A pneumatic setup would be pretty simple and inexpensive, a couple of cylinders and a 5-port 3-way foot valve would do it. The 50mm cylinder I used ($15? used from eBay) set the rafix easily at 45psi (~130lbs of pressure).

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